For Milan Design Week 2025, London-based industrial design studio BLOND collaborated with New York-based grooming brand Harry’s on DOUBLE VISION, an exhibition exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the industrial design process. The research project aimed to provoke discussion around the inevitable advancement of AI within the creative industries and give a glimpse of how the future of AI in design, may look. BLOND and Harry’s provided an exclusive interview to Dezeen about the process and purpose behind DOUBLE VISION. The exhibition was also among 10 shortlisted projects to win the Fuorisalone Award 2025.
In the heart of Milan’s Brera district, a recognised hub for innovation during the annual Milan Design Week, BLOND and Harry’s invited visitors to track the design development of two facial steamers; one created by BLOND using, where possible, exclusively AI tools—and a second created by Harry’s using ‘traditional’ processes that are well-known and adopted within the industry. A full case study of BLOND’s facial steamer can be found here.
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The visual identity explores the theme of duality, specifically the two converging principles of human and AI. This is reflected in the branding by creating a dynamic clash of typography that combines subtly biological and starkly futuristic fonts—controlled within a strict grid structure.
Set within a functioning carpentry workshop, the primary challenge was working around the existing infrastructure while minimising the use of additional build materials. The solution came in the form of curtain rails, used to obscure the workshop’s cluttered walls.
The exhibition, designed and created by BLOND, outlined the two alternative and isolated workflows in eight steps. Mounted screens dominated the AI-driven process, emphasising its nature as a digital tool. The ‘traditional’ workflow, created by Harry’s, was symmetrically displayed—featuring sketches, early prototypes and 3D prints, showing how human touch played a central role.
The primary and ‘final’ outcome took the form of a methodology map. Suspended above an elevated steel stage, the lit-up map outlined BLOND and Harry’s recommendation for AI integration into the design process—transparently showing both the potential and limitations of AI usage. A PDF version of the methodology map can be downloaded here.
BLOND, Harry’s and Dezeen co-hosted both a panel discussion and opening party, welcoming over 700 guests to celebrate the launch of DOUBLE VISION. The panel discussion, moderated by Dezeen’s co-CEO Benedict Hobson, explored the use of AI within the design process. The talk featured designer Abbie Adams; researcher Helen Job; founder and creative director of BLOND, James Melia; and head of design at Harry’s, Ryan Dougherty.
